Transect Through Time

Governors Island
Jake Mosher
May 5, 2017

​This transect takes you through the journey of Governors Island. This is not only a journey through space but through time as well. The journey begins at the Governors Island ferry station and the first compilation of images is the journey the boat takes to get across the harbor. This ferry ride was very quick, but to me it symbolizes the history of the island. For millions of years no one was on this island, it was used by Native Americans as a fishing village during the summer. During the colonization of America the island changed hands many times as a strategic military position. Presently the island is no longer used as a military fort but it is still populated and well used. Governor’s Island has seen many phases of its transition. Starting as a military stronghold it was designed with protection and defense in mind. As its use shifted to one of public recreation, elements of play, relaxation, and art have been added to the island. This creates a completely different experience than its historical one. This transect shows how the experience changes as you take the ferry from Manhattan to Governor’s Island. Tragically my phone died very soon after I made it into the new West 8 designed addition to the Island. Although this is not ideal it kind of symbolizes how the island’s future is still being changed and worked on, as it is still not completed all the phasing of the new construction on the island. So as West 8 and other firms add and change the island the experience and narrative of the space expresses itself differently.